February
2008
Another busy month for records, with most interest again focussed
on the Lower Derwent Valley. Up to 50 Whooper Swans remained
in the North Duffield/Bubwith area while two Bewick’s
Swans were seen with the herd on the 25th. A skein of c.100 Pink-footed
Geese flew west-southwest over South Bank in the early morning
of the 7th and an adult White-fronted Goose was present
on the pool at Wheldrake Ings on the 28th. A good variety of ducks
was attracted to the receding floods in the Lower Derwent Valley with
large numbers of Wigeon and Pintail in
particular. The female Scaup remained at Castle Howard
Lake where the ‘redhead’ Smew was rediscovered
on the 9th but proved to be quite elusive, seemingly spending most
of its time out of sight behind the eastern island! Up to 25 Goldeneye and
15 Goosander were also reported with 18 of the latter
on the fishing pond between Elvington and Wheldrake on the 4th, though
only single figures were noted at other sites. Grey Partridges were
reported from Breighton airfield, Copmanthorpe and Langwith Lakes while
an early breeding attempt by the Great Crested Grebes at
York University unfortunately failed due to the lake freezing over,
but the pair was soon at it again! A Red Kite was
seen from the A1079 near Barmby Moor on the 27th but it has become
apparent that birds occur more regularly in our area than is reported...
Sightings of Common Buzzard continue to increase,
with several birds being seen together around Pocklington and Skipwith.
Single Merlins were seen at North Duffield Carrs on
the 3rd and Clifton Ings on the 29th while at least one Peregrine was
regularly reported from Wheldrake Ings. Impressive flocks of Golden
Plover and Lapwing provided entertainment,
particularly in the Lower Derwent Valley where up to at least 100 Dunlin and Ruff were
noted, although one of the latter on the village green at North Duffield
on the 19th was much more unusual and seemed unperturbed by local schoolchildren
marching past! A Woodcock was seen in Askham Bog on
the 10th with a single Black-tailed Godwit present
at North Duffield Carrs on the 25th. A first-winter Mediterranean
Gull roosted at Wheldrake Ings on the 3rd where up to three
different Glaucous Gulls and Iceland Gulls also
roosted, particularly towards the end of the month, with some of these
birds occasionally roosting at North Duffield Carrs and several were
regularly seen feeding at Harewood Whin landfill site near Rufforth;
an Iceland Gull was also reported with a small number
of other gulls at Acaster Malbis on the 20th. A putative juvenile Thayer’s
Gull or hybrid was reported from the Wheldrake roost on the
evening of the 23rd, but was not seen again and will likely remain
as ‘one of those that got away’... Single adult Yellow-legged
Gulls were also reported in the roost at Wheldrake Ings with
one at Clifton Ings on the 2nd being a good record. Turning to passerines,
many species started to sing bringing some thoughts of spring – but
not for long! These included Skylarks in several areas,
their song always being most welcome and uplifting for many people. Woodlarks also
returned to local breeding sites and although their song is likewise
evocative, it is heard much less often and so is less familiar. At
least 50 Meadow Pipits were at Naburn Sewage Works
on the 16th where reasonable numbers of Pied Wagtails continued
to feed on the filter beds. The lone Waxwing lingered
at Strensall until the 14th and continued to draw a steady stream of
admirers during its stay, while numbers of Fieldfare and Redwing were
not particularly high. A wintering Chiffchaff of the
nominate race (usual one here) showed well near Naburn Sewage Works
on the 16th with another reported from Askham Bog on the 23rd
as well as a Nuthatch. A Great Grey Shrike found
in the northern part of the reserve at North Duffield Carrs on
the 28th would have been well appreciated had it hung around but was
last seen flying off to the west. Finch flocks were much in evidence
in several areas with one such aggregation near Copmanthorpe on the
16th including at least two Brambling while up to
six birds were attracted to the feeders by the Geoff Smith hide at
North Duffield Carrs throughout the month. The Linnet flock
at Rawcliffe Meadows NR peaked at 100+ birds mid-month while a Mealy
Redpoll was still feeding on nettles near Danesmead Copse
in Fulford on the 3rd, though fewer Lesser Redpolls and Siskins were
noted this month. The farmland between Acaster Malbis and Copmanthorpe
seemed to be particularly good for granivorous passerines with up to
30 Yellowhammers and 25 Reed Buntings being
counted while up to 18 Corn Buntings came in to roost
at Clifton Ings during the first half of the month.
January
2008
A glut of records was received this month as more observers
went out into the field to get their year lists off to a good start
and clear any Christmas overindulgence out of their system! Most of
the interest, as ever, was in the Lower Derwent Valley until severe
flooding made many areas inaccessible. There was also a good number
of reports from far-flung parts of the recording area as volunteers
covered rarely visited sites as part of the ongoing BTO Bird Atlas.
Up to 55 Whooper Swans were lingering in the North
Duffield area with a single Bewick’s Swan being
noted with the herd from the 20th. Seven Pink-footed Geese were
at Castle Howard early in the month when three were at Wheldrake Ings,
but a sizeable movement was documented on the 28th and 29th with counts
of 300+ over the Lower Derwent Valley, 250 over Pocklington, 220 over
Heslington, 200 over Clifton Ings and 120 over Acomb with birds heard
passing overhead at night in York. Up to five White-fronted
Geese remained at Wheldrake Ings early on with six Shelduck loosely
associating with the swan flock at North Duffield on the 20th. No counts
of dabbling duck were received but diving ducks were well represented
with c.150 Pochard at Castle Howard Lake
on the 5th and c.100 at Wheldrake Ings over the weekend of
the 26th and 27th. A female Scaup was present throughout
the month at Castle Howard Lake with two noted there on the 22nd when
at least 26 Goldeneye and 19 Goosander were
counted. A ‘redhead’ Smew was reported
from the Great Lake around this time while a covey of nine Grey
Partridges flew out of a field at Buttercrambe on the 5th.
A freshly dead but badly oiled Red-throated Diver was
found by the side of Castle Howard Lake the same day while single Little
Grebes were noted on the Ouse at Fulford Ings on the 3rd and
by the Derwent at Malton on the 5th with 12 counted on the Pocklington
Canal at Melbourne on the 6th and three on the floods at North Duffield
Carrs on the 27th. Great Crested Grebes were rather thin on the ground,
however, with birds unusually absent from Castle Howard Lake! On the
raptor front, notable records included a Rough-legged Buzzard reported
from Buttercrambe on the 4th, a female Merlin flying
south over Fulford Ings on the 28th and single Peregrines at
Wheldrake Ings and North Duffield Carrs on several dates. A showy Water
Rail performed to admirers in front of the Geoff Smith hide
at North Duffield on the 6th while flooding in this area attracted
a good number and variety of waders with large flocks of Golden
Plover and Lapwing in particular; at least
2,000 of the former were flying around the Fulford Ings/Middlethorpe
Ings area on the 28th when c.500 of the latter were on floods
at Middlethorpe Ings. Good numbers of Ruff were present
throughout the month in the North Duffield/Bubwith area but the only
count received was of 77 at North Duffield Carrs on the 28th. Woodcock were
seen at a few widely scattered localities with four in birch woodland
at Heslington Common on the 1st being the highest count. Meanwhile,
single Green Sandpipers were seen by Bubwith Bridge
on the 6th and at Middlethorpe Ings on the 29th. A first-winter Yellow-legged
Gull was identified at the latter spot the same day with at
least five immature Lesser Black-backed Gulls also
dropping in to drink and bathe while the only ‘white-winger’ reported
was a juvenile Glaucous Gull at Harewood Whin landfill
site on the 31st. The Water Pipit was still frequenting
flooded fields near Catterton while three Waxwings were
seen on a hedge by the side of the A1079 at Wilberfoss on the 22nd
with a lingering bird in Strensall attracting much local interest in
what has been a lean winter for the species; according to a local resident,
there had been six birds there originally. A female Stonechat was
seen distantly at North Duffield Carrs on the 6th with a pair noted
at Heslington Tillmire on several dates while a male Blackcap was
seen in a Copmanthorpe garden on the 15th. The elusive Siberian
Chiffchaff remained at Fulford Ings until at least the 14th
before flooding apparently forced it to move on; some supporting photographs
were taken although attempts to trap the bird were unsuccessful. Two Nuthatches were
calling in the grounds of Aldby Park near Buttercrambe on the 4th with
one seen in the main car park at Castle Howard on the 6th. Up to four Bramblings were
attracted to the feeders by the Geoff Smith hide at North Duffield
Carrs early in the month while a single bird was seen in the car park
at Bank Island on the 3rd with another found near Grimston on the 20th.
Good numbers of Siskin were reported from many areas
while at least 30 Lesser Redpolls were discovered
feeding on nettle seeds at the end of Broadway West in Fulford and
remained throughout the month, although there was a high turnover of
birds with up to at least four Mealy Redpolls being
picked out amongst the flock. Yellowhammers and Corn
Buntings seemed to be rather scarce this month, however, with
20 of the former at Fulford Golf Course on the 16th and at least ten
of the latter coming in to the roost at Melbourne on the 6th.